Ottawa Senators will be without captain Brady Tkachuk against Sabres
The Ottawa Senators will have to soldier on without captain Brady Tkachuk.
Coach Travis Green told reporters on Tuesday morning that Tkachuk won't suit up against the Buffalo Sabres at the Canadian Tire Centre because of an upper-body injury.
Tkachuk suffered the ailment on Sunday after getting hit by Ryan Graves late in the second period of the club's 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena.
'It's not what you want, but it's part of being in the NHL and you're going to have to deal with injuries,' Green said following the club's morning skate.
The belief is that Tkachuk won't be out long.
It remains to be seen whether he'll suit up on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning at home, but the club won't rush him back because the Senators want him to be 100% if they make the playoffs.
Sportlogiq says the Senators have a 99% chance of making the post-season with only nine games left in the regular season — and eight of those at home — but nothing is confirmed until it's locked up.
Losing Tkachuk makes the task a little more difficult.
The club has recalled winger Angus Crookshank from its American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville and he is scheduled to suit up against the Sabres on the fourth line with Matthew Highmore and Adam Gaudette.
This isn't the same lower-body ailment that Tkachuk had been dealing with since he returned from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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Losing Tkachuk for any length of time is a tough blow, especially with the Senators trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, if this is what has to be done, then so be it.
He missed two games after returning the 4-Nations Face-Off — during which he suited up for Team USA — as a result of an injury he suffered on Feb. 17 versus Team Sweden.
He played through the ailment in the final against Team Canada on Feb. 20, but then didn't play for the Senators against the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 22 or the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 26.
Tkachuk noted at the time that he missed those games because he didn't want something nagging him down the stretch. He aggravated that ailment on March 22 against the New Jersey Devils, but hasn't missed any games as a result.
bgarrioch@postmedia.com
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